The format for this year is again swiss-elim. Three rounds
of swiss play will advance eight players to single elimination.

Scenarios to be played in each swiss round are pre-designated
as follows:

Round 1: D Falklands

Round 2: B Search and Destroy

Round 3: A Sub Duel

Players will be matched randomly for Round 1, then randomly
by like records (to the extent possible) for Rounds 2 and 3.

In the case of an odd number of players in a given swiss round,
a bye will be awarded to the player with the worst record who
has not already received one (in the case of players with equal
records byes will be awarded first to the most recent past champion
who has not yet received one, and then randomly if none are present).

Players will not play the same opponent twice during the swiss
rounds. If players who have already played each other are randomly
matched in Rounds 2 or 3 they will be re-matched with new opponents.

To select sides each player draws a random number, the player
with the higher number has choice of sides, the player with the
lower number will then play first.

The eight players with the best win-loss record after the
three swiss rounds will advance to single elimination. If there
are more than eight 3-0 players, tiebreakers will be used to
advance the best eight 3-0 players. If there are less than eight
3-0 players, tiebreakers will be used to advance the best 2-1
players.

Tiebreakers, in order of use are:

1. Players who won with the Soviets in scenario A.

2. Players who won with the Soviets in scenario B.

3. Players who won with the Argentines in scenario
D.

4. Strength of schedule. (Note: For strength of schedule
computations, if any player's opponent(s) dropped out before
playing all three games in the swiss portion, any unplayed games
will be considered a loss by that opponent.)

5. Dice roll.

For single elimination, players will be assigned to brackets
randomly. However if there is a combination of both 3-0 and 2-1
players who advanced, then 2-1 players will be initially paired
against 3-0 players to the extent possible.

During single elimination rounds, players may select from
scenarios A, B, D, E, G, and H. There is no limit on how many
times a scenario or side may be played. To select sides each
player draws a random number; high number has choice of either
declaring they will select the scenario first (the opponent then
has choice of sides) or will select side second (the opponent
then
selects the scenario first). In either case low number will play
first.

Matches in the single-elimination rounds will be played until
conclusion; swiss round matches are subject to adjudication if
slow play is an issue.

In order to improve play-balance some scenarios are modified
as follows:

A. Replace the Los Angeles and Baltimore with the Swiftsure
and Valiant. Swiftsure begins the scenario with Sensor Malfunction
level 1.

C. Replace the Seawolf with the Annapolis. Replace
the Donets with the Admiral Lapshin.

E. Change the victory condition to read: "If the
RN drawn is less than or equal to the number of the current deck,
the renegade wins." Note in this scenario if the boomer
plays an Open Range card which would decrease the respective
contact levels between forces that change may still be negated
by a reactive play of an Open Range card by the surface force,
but the boomer
is still allowed to draw a RN for missile launch.

H. Replace the Seawolf with the Los Angeles. Also change
the victory conditions to read: "If the RN is less than
or equal to the current deck, the Soviet wins." Note in
this scenario if play of an Open Range card by the Soviets is
negated then the boomer is not allowed to draw a RN for missile
launch.

The following errata and FAQ's will be in use:

*3.2D Add: "However, only one Ship may react to
each Active Sonar or Sub attack card played."

3.4 Could a player who plays no cards but does take
a legal action such as a repair attempt by drawing a RN avoid
having to discard? A. Yes.

3.6 When using a Battle Stations card must the two
actions be predesignated? A. No. The player may perform
an action, observe the results, and then play a Battle Stations
card to perform the second action "anytime".

3.6 May a helicopter play a Battle Stations card? A.
No. A Battle Stations card allows two different actions "by
one ship".

3.6 Can the Battle Stations card be used for two attacks
against different ships? May two separate attacks be made against
one target if the total is less than or equal to the contact
status? May two separate attacks be made against two targets
if each satisfies its own requirements? A. No. 6.3 prevails.
Separate attacks would be considered identical actions. No. No.

3.6/8.2 Does Battle Stations allow a surface ship to
conduct an action on the same turn that a Close/Open Range card
is played for its side? May two different types of CR cards (such
as Thermal Layer and Silent Running) be played with a BS card?
... even as a Reactive play to a black card (3.2)? A.
Yes, Yes, Yes.

3.6 Can a Weapons Lockon card be played as a reaction
to an attack with a Battle Stations card? A. No.

4.21 If a sub uses Active Sonar to search for two ships,
can both ships play a Passive Sonar to raise their Contact Level
on the sub twice? A. No. Only one ship may react with
a Passive Sonar to each Active Sonar played.

4.3 If, due to malfunction, it is impossible for a
ship's sonar to increase contact with its target (e.g., sensor
at -1 vs detect value of 7), can a Passive Sonar be played anyway
just to get it out of the hand? A. No.

*5.3: Delete the word "red".

5.5 Can a sub in Systems Shutdown invoke it again to
reduce contact after further attacks? Can a "playing dead"
sub use an "A/PS" card as a Passive Sonar? A.
No. A sub in Systems Shutdown has lost its freedom of action.
It cannot take any action other than Contact Reduction and Passive
Sonar until it draws a RN > 3. Then it must decide whether
it will reduce contact one level or regain its freedom of action.
An "A/PS" card is considered a Passive Sonar card when
played as such.

*6.4 The example is wrong. Passive sonar cannot be
used against surface attacks.

6.8 If a surface ship that is attacked plays Passive
Sonar in response, but is destroyed by that attack, does its
side still gain a contact level on the attacker? A. Yes.
Note the surface ship would have had to play the Passive Sonar
in response to the attack before the attack was resolved.

7.1 Can a ship attacked by a combination of two Lockon
cards per 6.4 react with two Evasive Maneuver cards? A. Yes

8.1/13.5 May the play of an Open Range card to disengage
occur even if the ship has no contacts on any opposing ship?
Does an Open Range card used to disengage apply only to a single
surface ship; i.e. it is not shared? A. Once an opposing
ship has been sunk by a vessel, that vessel need not have a contact
to play an Open Range card. Open Range cards are shared by all
surface ships except in the case of Scenario Special Rules such
as those of 13K where a capital ship is allowed to escape alone.
Generally, for one surface ship to escape, all must turn away
from the enemy with that Move card.

8.4 Does the playing of a Close/Open Range card increase
the contact level of all surface ships even when there was currently
no contact against some of them? A. Yes.

8.4 Assume Sub A has a Level 1 contact on sub R and
plays a Close Range card. Sub R has No Contact on Sub A and so
cannot play an Open Range to counter. What are the resulting
contact levels after play of the Close Range? A. Sub A
to Level 2 and Sub R to No Attack.

9.3 Do subs and lone surface ships have their contact
status lowered by subsequent malfunctions of attack systems?
A. No. Attack malfunctions do not have this effect.

9.3 Errata: Delete second sentence; substitute: "If
the system is a sensor, the effects of 9.2 are applied again.
In the third sentence; delete "all Contacts ... No Contact".
Substitute: "The ship's contact on opponent's Contact Level
Tracks to No Contact; Exception: see 9.2)."

10.31 If play of a C/OR card is negated by reactive
play (8.5), is a helicopter check still required? A. Yes.

10.31 If a surface fleet player draws a RN which is
also a Helicopter card at a moment when he has no helicopter
in flight, but later in that same turn he launches a helicopter,
must he make a helicopter attack at the end of that turn? A.
Yes.

10.31/11.1 Is play of a Close Range card to attempt
reinforcement entry considered played on a surface force such
that a helicopter check is required? A. No.

13C Must Soviet Subs currently hold contact level 1
to disengage or must they just have achieved it at some prior
point? Can NATO win this scenario by destroying one sub and disengaging?
A. The latter - no ship can disengage while currently
at Contact Level 1. No. Any scenario with specific stated victory
conditions cannot be won by 13.5.

13E Must the play of the Open Range card not be negated
as in 13H? Does the Open Range card function in every way as
a normal play of such a card? May the Open Range card be played
even if no enemy ships are currently detected? A. No.
Yes. In this scenario, once play has entered the second deck
Open Range cards may be played without respect to enemy contact.
However, enemy contact can never be reduced to less than "No
Contact". The same logic applies to 13H.